Look around you, what is unique about your surroundings? Do you wish to enhance or compliment these things. Will your new wild flower garden be visible from the house, if so, perhaps you would like to plant your favorite colors so every day is a feast for your eyes. Are you seeking a quiet spot to sit awhile and relax, then your new garden can have a stone bench surrounded by tall plants to create a sense of peace and privacy. As I said, whatever style of wild flower garden you want, it can be yours. You can make this a reality if you plan the work, and work the plan.

To ensure that you end up with a garden design that you will love you need to take account of

Your own personality, your likes and dislikes

The purpose you want your garden to serve

Growing conditions unique to your area

Amount of time you can devote to maintenance

Budget

These are quick and easy decisions to make, the same ones you would need to make when designing any type of garden, however failing to plan is like planning to fail.

If you decide to go for a small wild flower garden, then using pencil and paper to create your design is fine. If you have a large area, you may find it is a good idea to use a software program to create your plan. For a large area you need more precise measurements for hardscaping, sheds, fences etc. Planting large areas can be quite expensive so you want to be sure your overall plan looks good before you start buying plants. Seeing it all on a detailed blueprint will save you time and money by helping you avoid mistakes.

Whether your new garden is big or small it should blend with your home, your homesite and ideally with your neighborhood. Your choice of wild flower garden will most likely be inspired by the region you live in e.g. from a cottage garden in cooler regions to a tropical garden in hotter climes.

I find that the planning stage of the process to be hugely enjoyable. You can let your imagination run wild, but eventually you must fit your ideas into your available time and budget. So let your imagination run riot, plan your dream garden and then start refining.

Submitted by:

Gabrielle Bennett

Gabrielle Bennett is a gardener with many years experience gardening in different climates. More information on Wild Flower Gardens can be found at www.complete-flower-garden.com

This article " Wild Flower Garden - Yours to Design and Plan" is part of the article series "Wild Flower Garden - Recreate the Splendor of Nature in Your Own Backyard". Any or all of the articles in the series are free to use as long as the following is attached: - Author Gabrielle Bennett: http://www.complete-flower-garden.com